Snow guard

Abstract

A snow guard assembly heated within one or more snow guard tubes. Heating of the snow guard tube prevents excessive accumulation of snow and helps prevent snow build up and spill over above the top of the snow guard. The tubes can be length-wise separable to place and service the heating elements. The heating element can be standard heat tape or infrared LEDs. The snow guard tubes can optionally have a non-uniform cross-sectional thickness to direct the heat more efficiently in a desired orientation. The interior of the snow guard tubes can be selectively coated with infrared absorbing or reflective material to direct the heat in a desired orientation when infrared LEDs are used as a heat source. The snow guard can be attached to many types of roof surfaces including tile roofs, metal roofs with or without standing seams, and shingle roofs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A snow guard assembly for attaching to a roof, comprising:
 a snow guard tube extending above the roof; 
 the snow guard tube includes a cutout through the snow guard tube; 
 a visible light source positioned within the snow guard tube; and 
 the cutout and the visible light source positioned and arranged to project light through the cutout onto the roof. 
 
     
     
       2. The snow guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cutout is so shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a pattern on the roof. 
 
     
     
       3. The snow guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cutout is so shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a symbol on the roof. 
 
     
     
       4. The snow guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cutout is a plurality of cutouts shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a word on the roof. 
 
     
     
       5. The snow guard assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light is an LED positioned to conduct waste heat through the snow guard tube. 
 
     
     
       6. The snow guard assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a mounting bracket secured to the snow guard tube; and 
 the mounting bracket is shaped and positioned to extend the snow guard tube above the roof. 
 
     
     
       7. A snow guard assembly for attaching to a roof, comprising:
 a snow guard tube extending above the roof; 
 a heating element positioned within the snow guard assembly; 
 the snow guard tube includes a cutout through the snow guard tube; and 
 a visible light source positioned and arranged within the snow guard tube to project light through the cutout onto the roof. 
 
     
     
       8. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the heating element is an infrared light source. 
     
     
       9. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the heating element is an infrared LED. 
     
     
       10. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the cutout is so shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a pattern on the roof. 
     
     
       11. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the cutout is so shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a symbol on the roof. 
     
     
       12. The snow guard assembly of  claim 11  wherein the heating element is within the snow guard tube. 
     
     
       13. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the cutout is a plurality of cutouts shaped and positioned that the visible light source projects a word on the roof. 
 
     
     
       14. The snow guard assembly of  claim 7  wherein the heating element is within the snow guard tube. 
     
     
       15. A snow guard assembly for attaching to a roof, comprising:
 a snow guard tube extending above the roof; 
 the snow guard tube includes a cutout through the snow guard tube; and 
 a visible light source positioned and arranged within the snow guard tube to project light through the cutout. 
 
     
     
       16. The snow guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the cutout is a plurality of cutouts that are sized so that the visible light source projects light through the cutout to form a word. 
 
     
     
       17. The snow guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the cutout is sized and shaped so that the visible light source projects light through the cutout to form a pattern. 
 
     
     
       18. The snow guard assembly of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the cutout is sized and shaped so that the visible light source projects light through the cutout to form a symbol. 
 
     
     
       19. The snow guard assembly of  claim 15 , further including:
 a mounting bracket secured to the snow guard tube; and 
 the mounting bracket is shaped and positioned to extend the snow guard tube above the roof.